Twister of fate
by Youhaveabadconnection
Summary: Azka-D and DG go to the Other Side for schooling, but the get called back; it seems that there's about to be a regime change.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, guys! This is the first chapter, and I'm already writing the second, so while I know it's short, hold on cuz it won't take me too long to update!!_

_Look, if I owned Tin Man, that would mean I would own Glitch, and then i'd be too busy to write fanfiction. Not making anything from this either._

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"_And the weather in our heartland state is a balmy eighty-point six, with scattered clouds and a light breeze. We will be right back afte-"_

DG woke slowly, wondering why in the nine hells someone in the O.Z. was talking about states, and using the wrong system for keeping temperature. She rolled over to find not her palace quarters, but another bed, in a loft. A very Other Side loft. And to her amazement, the other bed was occupied. It took the princess a few moments to gather her bearings, and in the meantime, she stumbled down the stairs into her kitchen.

Where she ran into a large, crew-cut man who looked like he had the power to break her.

Cain turned around and passed the mug of coffee to her; they'd already learned during their quest DG didn't wake well. "Lord, kid, you act like Zipper head in the morning."

"I'll have you know I resent that," came the voice of the princess' other 'protector'. "Now that I've got most of my marbles back, I'm doing very well, thank you very much." Glitch pulled his head out of the fridge and scratched his un-zippered head. "And I don't have a zipper anymore, as I'm sure you've noticed."

A snort from behind them all brought DG to face her sister. Azkadellia sauntered down the rest of the stairs with ease, and pulled the loose cheerio out of Glitch's hair. "Sure, but that doesn't mean all your synapses are firing, cutie."

A piece of DG winced, and before she could question the why or the wherefore of that, she grabbed an orange from the bowl and stared at the motley crew they made in modern-day Kansas. Granted, they'd all found their way around quickly enough, but somehow, going out for supper or a show always got them noticed.

"Something on your mind, kid?" the Tin Man glanced at her before rinsing their cups and grabbing his lunch. He'd quickly found work on the Other Side in construction; he revelled in the physical activity. She smiled absently before wandering back upstairs to dress. Cain caught Glitch glancing repeatedly at their friend before she disappeared.

.ılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılı.

_So, that's the first chapter. REVIEW!! I love 'em and i'm actually planning on finishing this story! GO ME!!!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Well, Chapter two is up!!! GO ME!!! I'm usually horrible at reviewing, but i think i can keep up with this one, i love the story and i've got it mostly planned out._

_As per usual, I don't own Tin man. Glitch may, however, own whats left of my attention span._

* * *

"DEEEEEEEEEJ!" Glitch came bounding down the stairs of the apartment building, skidding to a stop just before hitting Cain. "Watch it, Zipper head," muttered the Tin Man, as he scanned the area for anything he would consider "suspicious".

Deej just rolled her eyes. She knew that, while protection was what the two men were technically there for, DG had chosen them for their companionship.

* * *

"_I'm not sure I like this idea, DG," the queen looked over at her youngest daughter. So much of her father, had she always been __**this**__ much of a headache? "We just got the two of you back, and now you want to go away again."_

_DG spun in a frustrated circle. "I know it's hard knowing that we'd be on the Other Side, but I-we NEED to go to school. Besides, if Az took off for a while, it might be the best thing; people are still pretty sore about what happened, and she can't just keep trying to prove herself. One day she's going to be queen, and she's going to need whatever help she can get."_

_Ahamo threw his wife a glance. They'd never truly discussed it, but neither believed Azkadellia would be capable of taking the throne. But there was no way they'd be able to convince DG of that, especially if the replacement was to be her._

_Emily sighed. She loved her daughters, but the thought of them being away for ten months frightened her. She couldn't help thinking of all the invitations she'd received from newly reinstated royalty regarding eligible sons, even though the royal family itself was notorious for __**not**__ arranging their marriages, there was always some conditioning that went on. It was hard for your child to fall in love with someone less than eligible if all they saw was royalty. But, she sighed, she herself had been an exception, taking an Other Sider as her husband, and she had never regretted it._

"_Fine, but I want protection for you. I'll assign a guard to take care of you while you're over there." Emily pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to relieve the headache the conversation was giving her._

"_Actually, I already had one in mind." If the queen had thought that an arguing daughter was cause for worry, it was nothing compared to the suck-up she had on her hands now. Her response was apprehensive, "who?"_

"_wellll," DG snuggled closer under her mother's chin. "I was thinking of Wyatt Cain-"_

_Emily raised an eyebrow. "We don't even know him! All we know of his past was that he was a Tin Man, you expect me to trust him wi-"_

"_Em," Ahamo's voice was soft, and because he rarely contradicted his wife, the pet name was enough to silence her. "Love, he helped her get to us. He's part of the reason we're all here. I think that if DG trusts him, we can as well. Besides, you can't handle the thought of being away from the girls that long, how can you ask one of your men to leave their families?"_

_The monarch sighed; she knew defeat when it stared her in the face. And she'd always lost when those two ganged up on her. "You're on her side," she accused._

"_Of course, so are you," Ahamo gave a cheeky grin. "Besides, I remember a time when you were all too eager to spend a day riding horseback rather than listen to boring governors."_

* * *

Az felt like slamming her head on her desk. Repeatedly. She heaved a sigh, knowing it wouldn't help, and wandered downstairs to find Glitch fiddling with an old computer that he'd found some time ago.

"If I just knew how these two pieces communicate with each other, I'd be able to reconnect them," he muttered, holding the parts in question under a large magnifying glass. "AHA!" Glitch exclaimed, bringing his tiny soldering gun into play.

"Gliiiiiitch," Az whined, sitting across the table from the former advisor. "I need help."

"Sweetheart," Glitch replied. "I am in no way qualified to give you the help you require."

Az stared at him for a moment, then brightened. Glitch had been one of the first people to truly forgive her, but then, even as a child, it had been that way.

* * *

_This was the third time in a month Azkadellia had disrupted the Queen's morning meeting with her advisors, this time interrupting Sir Ambrose in the middle of a discussion of the Guilds' allegiance. Now, she waited in Ambrose's sitting room to apologise, just like Nanny said she should._

_When the advisor of only 19 annuals wandered into his room several hours later, it was already cold, and, being on the east side of the castle, nearly dark. Part way in, he paused, bemused by the sound of sniffling. He swiftly turned on a lamp, and came across the bedraggled princess, and quickly dropped to one knee._

"_Azka-D, what on earth are you doing here? It's freezing," Ambrose scooped the young girl up in one arm, and quickly started a fire, wrapping her up in a blanket to warm her. That task done, he turned towards a machine he'd invented for the girl when she came to his chambers. He soon returned to the bundle that was his monarch's daughter, carrying two steaming mugs of rich chocolate. He placed one in Azkadellia's hands, and led her over to his couch._

"_Now," Ambrose stated, pulling Az onto his lap. "Why did you come down here?"_

"_Well," Az began, twisting her blanket in tiny hands. "Nursie told me to come and 'pologize for innuruptin' you today. So I came down here, to find you and you wasn't there, so I sat to wait for you. I guess I fell asleep" she blinked huge brown eyes at him mournfully. "I'm sorry."_

_Ambrose felt a rush of sympathy for the young girl, and hugged her. "Come on; let's get you up to your room before they start looking for you."_

* * *

The queen looked in horror at her husband. "Are you quite sure of this?"

Ahamo nodded softly, pulled her into a tight hug. "We need to get them back."

* * *

_Please REVIEW!!! And if you love Tin Man like me, check out Brown Eyes. Its a little twist, and not related to this story AT ALL!!! But leave me suggestions, tips, love, cookies, dust, you name it!!_

_Awahili: Thanks so much!!! I'm always told that starting a story is the hardest part, and i am so SICK of reading DG/Cain, lol :)_

_Scheree: I'm going to give this thing as much plot as humanly possible. Too much fluff in a multi-chap fic can get old. And as you can see, this chapter is a bit longer!! :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_So, here we are again. This is the longest chapter so far, i'm going to try to make them longer as we go along, but personally, i don't like 5,000 word chapters so they'll be not too much longer than this, ok? any italics used in the story are flashbacks, and i'll try to keep them to about one a chapter, too many gets confusing as i have learned. So enjoy the next chapter, there is both plot and fluff in here!!!_

* * *

"So...you mean she leaves him all alone down there to be with that guy???" Glitch was becoming indignant at the plot of what had always been DG's favourite show; The Phantom of the Opera. She could understand Glitch's point, however. "Yes, Glitch. Christina leaves Erik down there, because, in the end, that's what he wants her to do. He'd never be able to fit anywhere, and he loves her enough to want her to be happy."

"I still think it's a rotten deal," Glitch muttered to himself as Cain unlocked the door to their apartment. They wandered into the living room, taking up their usual positions on various furniture, just enjoying the quiet after such a loud show. DG soon got up, looking for something to drink, and voyaged into the kitchen.

The first scream could have cracked glass.

By the second had worked its way up into her throat, she recognised the intruder, and ran over to her father as Cain burst in, gun cocked, ready to kill whatever was going to hurt their princess. He stopped at the heart-warming reunion taking place in front of him, replacing the gun and relaxing the tiniest bit. Az stood in the back of the group, just as tall as the men, hanging back; never quite sure if she belonged.

The question of that was soon answered as Ahamo pulled her towards him for a rib-cracking hug. "My god," he muttered, running his hand through her dramatically short locks. "What the hell happened to your beautiful hair?"

Az shrugged, "I thought that since the rest of the family had such long hair, I might as well be the black sheep." She tugged at her father's ponytail, "besides, it was starting to attract attention; not too many people here have hair to their waist."

Ahamo nodded; one of the stipulations their mother had placed upon them was to remain inconspicuous, and to blend in at almost any cost. He looked around at the group, "we need to talk."

"Well, come on in," DG offered, motioning toward the living room. Ahamo shook his head, "at home, your mother needs to speak to you."

"What? But we still have another three months and-" DG sighed at the expression on her father's face. "Fine, but can we pack our things first?"

Ahamo gave them an hour to pack up what had become important to them. He meandered through the apartment as they packed, ogling at the umpteen pairs of jeans DG packed. She caught him staring. "Well, I don't like dresses that much and I don't know when I'll be able to come get more."

"With the R.T.V.D you should be able to come back almost any time," Glitch cut in, throwing a duffle bag on the floor. "It got the Consort here all right didn't it?" Ahamo nodded; the Realm Traversing Vehicular Device was one of Glitch's greatest inventions, and it had been totally created after the surgery.

"We ready to go?" inquired Cain, grabbing Az's bag along with his own, and looked at Ahamo. "Might as well get a move on."

Emily paced impatiently across the entrance hall of the Northern Island. She had just made another turn when she saw the light that informed of incomers from the Other Side. She rushed towards her fast-approaching family, grabbing her girls towards her in welcome. Ahamo motioned two pages to collect the baggage and led the group towards the throne room.

"So what's up, Mom? Why the big rush in bringing us back?" DG pulled away from her mother's hug to look into her face.

The queen sighed. "The remnants of the Long Coats have found a new leader. We don't know who he is, but they're getting quite powerful and numerous. Important people in Central City have started receiving threats from these renegades; kidnapping, murder, and impending war. And we ourselves have received a letter."

Ahamo looked at his wife. When he'd left, there'd been no letter. He pulled the sheaf of paper from his wife's hand and began to read aloud.

"**My dearest royal family.**

**Far too long has it been since I've seen you last. The magnificent queen and her handsome consort, as well as their exquisite daughters. Such beautiful daughters. In fact, because it has been so long, I was thinking of taking your girls on a trip. A long trip. Actually, I was thinking of picking them up next week on their return from school. Around five sound good to you? Don't worry, they won't need protection, they'll be perfectly safe with me and my men.**

**Good day to you,**

**Wanu**"

Cain looked at the royal consort as he finished reading. "Wanu? Who the hell is Wanu?"

Ahamo looked up from the parchment and glanced around. "The new leader of the former Long Coats. But now they go by the name of Muhk Luyd. It's from the language the Ridanhk used hundreds of years ago. We all believed the language was lost.``

``Aparently not.`` Cain cut in. He was pacing, running a hand through his hair. ``If we can find out who these people are, we can stop them. As long as we don`t go back to the Other Side, the princesses will be safe.``

Az chanced a glance at her sister. She sighed softly at DG`s upset look. `Listen, their priority is to keep us safe, and we should probably listen to what they say.``

DG sighed, ``I know, but it`s hard knowing that we`re going to be followed every moment of the day. But on the bright side,`` she continued, looking around at the assembly. ``I can continue my lessons with Toto, right?``

The queen nodded, thankful of her daughters' cooperation. "Why don't you get some sleep, it's been a long day everywhere."

DG walked her sister to her chambers, and then settled down in an overstuffed armchair in her room. Sometimes, she reflected, it's easier not to wish for so much. It had been a long road from a waitress in Kansas to a princess in the O.Z. She heaved a sigh; one of the few things that held her together were her friends; Raw, Cain, and Glitch. Somehow, just thinking of Glitch made her smile, he was always there to comfort her, to listen, and to protect her. DG looked into the flames of her fireplace. Only once since the Fall had he ever needed comforting himself.

* * *

_Glitch paced anxioiusly around the waiting room of the palace's infirmary. In a short while, alchemists would do their best to reunite him with the rest of his brain. He still hadn't decided if he wanted it or not. "It's hard to make up your mind when you don't have one," he joked with DG. DG walked up to the agitated man as he rounded another turn, she sat down singing quietly to herself._

_I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers  
Consultin' with the rain.  
And my head I'd be scratchin' while  
my thoughts were busy hatchin'  
If I only had a brain.  
I'd unravel every riddle for any individ'le,  
In trouble or in pain.  
With the thoughts you'll be thinkin'  
you could be another Lincoln  
If you only had a brain.  
Oh, I could tell you why The ocean's near the shore.  
I could think of things I never thunk before.  
And then I'd sit, and think some more.  
I would not be just a nothin' my head all full of stuffin'  
My heart all full of pain.  
I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry,  
If I only had a brain.  
_

_Glitch looked at her, temporarily distracted by the song. "Where did you learn that?" he asked, sitting beside her._

"_I'm not sure," DG replied, frowning at her clasped hands. "It's just one of those things you always have at the back of your mind, you know?"_

"_I don't," Glitch replied, smirking at his princess. "The only think I've got in the back of my mind is a hole and some straw from sleeping on the ground for so long."_

_DG smiled at her friend as the Alchemist walked into the waiting room. Glitch stood up, turned to look at DG, and gave her a small smile. She jumped up and hugged him as hard as she could. "Don't worry about me," Glitch whispered. "They'll put me back together in no time." He rubbed a tear running down her cheek with his thumb, and walked into the operating room._

* * *

Glitch knocked softly on DG's door. "May I come in?" he asked, not sure if she had fallen asleep yet. His question was soon answered as the door opened, and DG pulled him over to the fireplace. He sat for a while, his arm around her shoulders as they sat on her small couch, but he soon got up and started pacing.

"Is this the new 'in' thing here or am I missing something?" DG looked at her oldest friend carefully.

"DG, there's something I have to tell you." Glitch was becoming more agitated, wringing his hands and staring at the floor.

"Well, spit it out. Don't give yourself a hemmorage or something." DG got up as well, and grabbed Glitch's hands in her own, effectively trapping him.

"DG I-" Glitch's confession was brought abruptly short by a loud scuffling and screams just outside her door.

* * *

_Ok, some new names I took from the al-bhed language. Here`s the pronounciation._

_**Wanu: WAH-noo**_

_**Muhk Loyd: moo-HAWK LOO-oid**_

**_Ridanhk: RYE-dan_k**

_Awahili: I'm sorry_ _about the last chapter being so hard to follow! I read it and i realised how bad it was! :( hopefully this chapter is a little better!!!_

_Shiroi_ _Usagi: YAY FOR DUST!!! I'm glad you're going to be watching this one, and for being a fan of Glitch/DG_ _pairing._

_KLCtheBookWorm: I hope my response helped you, and i fully intend on bringing that up in a future chapter, perhaps even the next one. I hope this chapter helps you warm to the story!_


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